Seattle, Jun 27 (V7N) – Egypt and Iran went into the halftime break locked at 1-1 after an entertaining first half in their final Group-stage match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup at Seattle Stadium on Saturday.
Both teams produced an attacking display from the opening whistle, with Mahmoud Saber and Ramin Rezaian finding the net in a fast-paced first 45 minutes.
Egypt made the perfect start, taking the lead in just the fifth minute. Mahmoud Saber broke the deadlock with a clinical finish, registering the fastest goal in Egypt's FIFA World Cup history.
Iran had an immediate opportunity to respond after being awarded a penalty a few minutes later. However, striker Mehdi Taremi failed to convert from the spot, with Egypt goalkeeper Mostafa Shober producing an important save.
The Iranian side recovered quickly and equalized in the 14th minute. Milad Mohammadi's initial effort was parried by Shober, but Ramin Rezaian reacted first to the rebound and fired home a powerful shot to make it 1-1.
Both sides continued to press forward in search of another goal before the interval, creating several promising attacks. However, neither team was able to convert their opportunities as the defenses held firm in the closing stages of the half.
With the score level at 1-1, both Egypt and Iran will head into the second half knowing that the outcome could prove decisive in determining their fate in the tournament.
END/SMA/AJ
